Centrifugal drying machine



jam. i925. 1,522,393

A. C. SNYERS CENTRIFUGAL DRYING MACHINE Filed Oct. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 News Parser orrice.

AMEDEE CONSTANT SNYERS, O35 NEVJ ORLEANS, LOUESIANA.

CENTRIFUGAL DRYING MACHINE.

Application filed. flctcher 19, 1922, Serial No. 595,595.

To (ZZZ/1.0710? 2'2 may concern Figure 6 is a plan view of the drive con Be it known that I, Arriinnii C. SNxEus, trolling means showing the vanes. subject of the King of Belgium, residing at Figure 7 is a vertical section showing New Orleans. in the parish of Orleans and modification, and 60 State of Louisiana, have invented certain Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken new and useful Improvements in Centritthrough the device shown in Fig. 7. ugal Drying Machines; and I do hereby Referring more particularly to the drawdeclare the following to be a full, clear. and inns l is the axle or shaft receiving the exact description of the invention, such as driving power, and attached to the station- 6 10 will enable others skilled in the art to which ary frame of the centrifugal. This axle appertains to make and use the same. is connected to the bottom 2 of the centrif- The present invention relates to centritugal basket, whose vertical wall is perugal apparatus, as used to separate solids forated and, provided with the usual inner "from the liquids in mixtures of these two filteringlining in order to allow the molas- 7 constituents. The invention aims at providses separated "From the massecuite to be inn; an a aratus that is continuous in opera thrown through the wall, while retaining tion and self-discharging, that is, that, with the sugar crystals. The upper edge of wall the centritu ral rotating uninterruptedly, 3 presents an outwardly directed flange 4:. the mixture can be admitted into it in a con- The stationary casing 5 around the basket 75 tinuous stream, separated solids being at the has an inward flange 6 just below flange 4,

same time auton'iatically and continuously so as to practically close the upper space hedischar 'ed thus avoiding the necessity of tween the basket and casing. The bottom first loading; the centrifugal with a suticient the casino presents an outlet 7 for the moquantity of the mixture, starting it in niolasses. Around the casing 5 is built an an- 80 tion. atter a suitable interval of time stopnular channel consisting of a vertical wall ping the centrifugal and thereupon discharg- 10 having the shape of cylinder out obing the solids, these operations being reliquely, and whose lower oblique edge is peated for every load of mixture. connected to the casing by a flange 11 form- The principal object of the invention is ing the bottom, thus constituting around thus to provide a device which will continueach half of the casing a steeply inclined ously propel the solids, inside the centrifchannel leading to the outlet or spout 12. ugal, toward the outlet and there eject them. To the upper edge or wall 10 is attached another object is to provide means to an inwardly and upwardly directed annuciatically operate said device. lar flange 13, surrounding and overhang- 'll other objects are to adapt the general in; flange t, of the basket and. located form of the centrifugal to operate in comat such a level as to catch the sugar bination with said device. centrifugally ejected over the flange 4, at ll ith the foregoing; and other objects in the same time deflecting it downwardly and view. the invention wil be more fully debreaking its impact. Around the inner wall 40 scribed hereinafter, and will be more parof the casing attached an annular flange 8 ticularly pointed out in the claims appended directed inwardly and upwardly, and formhGretO. ing an annular gutter leading the washings In the drawings, wherein li to symbols to an outlet- 9 as will be explained.

to like or corresponding parts through Around the axle 1 fitted a sleeve or hol- J l 45 out he several views. low axle l i capable of turning freely on Figure 1 is a vertical section taken axle 1 and resting on shoulder 15 disposed through a centrifugal appartus constructed on bottom 2 of the basl-ret and serving as a acg rding to the present invention. bearing. inside the basket, axle 14 supports .igure 2 shows an elevation of the disan appropriate number of radial frames 00 charging apparatus turned at right angles composed each by radial arms 16 and 17 r to Figure 1. supporting the vertical bar 18. Two such Fig. ire 3 is a top plan view of the device. frames are represented in the instance a is a PGISPQCF'JMG View oi" the casshown. l he bars i8 extend practically the i' entire height of wall 8, parallel. and close l io'ure 1s a section through the drive thereto. To their outer surfaces are attached snarl: w th the driving vanes removed, a series of blades 19. which extend very close to the wall 3, without however actually touching it. These blades are disposed obliquely relatively to the horizontal plane and to the zones they engage along the wall 3. In this connection see Figure 2. The blades incline downwardly relatively to the direction of their motion, the direction of motion being indicated by the arrow also in Figure 2. The front or cutting edge is thus lowermost, and when cutting or plowing through the mass clinging to the wall 3, their thrust on this mass has thus an upward component which tends to lift it vertically.

The blades of each set are superposed and parallel and they thus engage and lift simultaneously a vertical strip of mass extending the entire height of the wall. As appears in Figure 3, the shape of the bladein plan is substantially rectangular, they having their outer edges rounded so as to follow the form of wall 3, and they have an oblique front edge for better penetrating. Their number, shape, size and pitch are such as are best calculated for the maximum of efficiency and a minimum of resistance. Now it will be understood that the basket 3, although represented cylindrical, may have other forms, such for instance as the frustum ofa cone, the discharger, comprising the frames made up of the arms 16, 17 and 18 with the blades 19, of course following the shape of the basket. At the upper part of the basket an annular bowl 20 is formed around the hollow shaft 1% and connected thereto by its bottom. The lateral wall of the bowl may be conical as represented or of any other suitable shape for preventing the massecuite from being forced over its upper edge by the centrifugal force.

At the junction of the lateral wall and the bottom of the bowl are attached a suitable number of pipes 22 opening into said. bowl, for instance one pipe being provided for each set of blades 19 and located near the radial plane comprising said blades. The pipes extend downwardly and outwardly in such a way that their lower mouths open in front of the zone of the basket wall engaged by the lowermost blade 19 and at such distance from said wall as not to come into contact with the massecuite deposited thereon; further, the mouths being located directly behind the lowermost blade 19, relatively to the direction of the latters motion.

Around the bowl is built an annular trough 23, whose upper face is partly closed by an inward flange, thus leaving between the latter and the guard an annular open space, above which terminates a suitable water pipe 2%. Attached to the periphery of trough 23 and opening therein, are a con.- venientnumber of radial pipes 25, whose outer ends are bent down and closed at the extremity, while the outer faces of the bent parts 26, facing the wall 3, are perforated as seen in section on the left side of Figure 2. The parts 26 areso located as to face Wall 3 just a little above the level of the gutter 8.

The upper arms 16 of the discharger frames are conveniently attached to trough 23, while the lower arms 17 are attached directly to axle 1%. At the upper end of hollow axle 14: are attached two horizontal radial arms 27, from each of which is suspended a wing or vane 28, of'suitable size and shape, as by means of hinges 29. The wings are able to swing freely around the arms, while adequate means are provided to prevent the wings from slipping off the arms under the centrifugal force. Under the wings and around axle 14 is disposed an annular sliding organ 30, whose upper surface presents at the periphery two diametrically opposed wedge-shaped lugs 31 having their oblique faces in front rela tively to the direction of rotation. The organ 30 has a central opening and into the opening project two opposed, longitudinal, keys 32, which engage in corresponding longitudinal slots 33 formed in hollow axle 1%. These slots being longer than the keys, the organ 30 is thus capable of sliding up and down axle 1%, but it is compelled to rotate with said axle, Organ 30 is supported at its inferior face by suitable ball or roller bearings represented .in the pres ent instance by balls 3 L running in complemental races formed in the lower face of part 30 and the upper face of an annular ball mp 35 which surrounds axle 14 but without being in contact with it. This ball cup is provided with two opposed lateral trunnions 36 which engage in slots pro vided in the ends of the prongs 37 of a forked lever 38 fulcrumedat 39 on a suitable bracket 4110 attached. to the frame of the centrifugal.

The lower edge of each wing 28 rests against the oblique face of corresponding lug 3] and is thus pressed firmly against the latter by the resistance of the air, when revolving. It is thus seen that by acting on lever 38, the ball cup and consequently organ 80 can be raised or lowered thereby causing the lugs 31 to engage more or less the wings 28, in this way modifying at pleasure their inclination and consequently their resistance to the air. when rotating. Convenient means are provided to lock the handle of lever 38 to the frame in any given position.

The operation of the invention is as follows:

When the centrifugal is empty, the hollow axle L and all the parts attached thereto are pra tically independent from the motion of the basket. A quantity of massecuite may be poured in the basket to start the movement. ei'itrifugal being set in motion, massecuitc is admitted through spout 21., and delivered thereby into the bowl it). wherein it is whirled to the periphery. being forced down the pip-es and made to issue from the lower ends of these pipes and against the basket wall behind the lowermost blades 19 thus constantly refilling the empty space just created by the lifting action of said blades. As soon as there is sutlicient massecuite and the blades i of the discharge become embedded in it, this massecuite locks the dis-charger to the basket and causes it to revolve with the latter. llut nonthe air resistance encountered by the wings J8 retards the rotation of the discharger which begins to revolve relatively to the basket, causing the blades 19 to go through the mass. At the same time, owing to their inclination, each of these blades lifts successively all the parts of the annu lar zone or strip of mass which it engages, which is possible from the fact that each blade, beginning with the uppermost, by lifting the mass creates under it an empty space ready to receive the mass lifted by the next lower blade. Thus the whole coat of mass lining wall 8 is gradually propelled upwards at the same time becoming purged sugar, it is gradually deprived of the molasses, the molasses of course being forced by the centrifugal power through the per forated wall 8 and collected in the casing 5. where it escapes through outlet 7 and 9.

When the sugar reaches the level of flange 4i. the topmost zone is lifted by the topmost blade 19 above said flange and is ejected against the flange 13 which directs such purged sugar crystals into the channel formed between walls 6 and 1 0. The steep bottom 11 of this channel, which ,is most plainly seen in l igure 4 a'tfecs va quick movement of the sugar to the escape outlet When it is necessary to wash the sugar, the work is regulated so that the massecuite is practically deprived of its molasses when it reaches the level of the putter S. l t ater is admitted through pipe 5- to the. bowl in a continuous stream. be water is at once forced by the centrifugal through pipes 25 down to their perforated extensions 26 and through the perforations, to be forcibly projected against the su Theresulting washings traverse wall 3. are collected in casing 5 above gutter 8, drip down. into said gutter and flow off through outlet 9. being thus automatically collected separately from the pure molasses. In this case all of the molasses is collected in the casing below the gutter 8 and evacuated through the outlet 7.

The steadily entering flow of massecuitc from spout 21. continuously refills the empty space created at the bottom of wall 3 by the lower blades of the discharger, and it is thus seen that all operations of charging the centrifugal, purgii'ig the massecuite, eventually washing the sugar and discharging the latter from the basket, can proceed in a continuous and automatic manner. The proper work required from the centrifugal is obtained by regulating tl e admission through spout 21, and the sieed of the discharger relatively to the basket, this latter being done by adjusting the resistance encountered by the wings 28 in a .u'ianner described above.

it is to be understood that the invention not limited to the heretofore described means for driving the discharger, as such means might be replaced by any appropriate known device such for instance as steam or compressed air turbines, or electric motor, whose rotor or armature would be keyed on aide 14-. and surrounded by the stator or lield supported by the centrifugal frame, the speed being regulated by regulating the steam, compressed air or current, all which requires no further explanation. .lf a forced drive at constant speed be desirable a suitable gearing may be used.

The invention is not limited, of course, to the particular wedge-shape lugs 31, (s these may consist of vertical fingers whose upper ends engage the r ar face of the wings 28, exerting thus exactly the same action as the wedge-shape lug. Similarly the slots and corresponding keys 32 may be helical instead of strictly longitudinal and so disposed that when the organ 30 is raised it is compelled to turn slightly around axle towards the wings 28 thus quickening and extending the action of the lugs on said wings. The frames 16, 17 and 18 constituting mere means to support the blades 19 and connect them to the sleeve or hollow axle 14:, may be replaced by any suitable device, such for instance as l complete circular basket connected by its bottom to the lower end of sleeve l t and having the blades 19 attached to the outer surface of its vertical wall. ln this case the annular trough 23 can be attached to the inner periphery of the dis charger basket while the bowl 20 and pipes 22 can be dispensed with, the inassecuite from spout 21 dropping then directly on the bottom of the discharger basket and issuing therefrom through openings corresponding to the lowermost blades 19 exactly as described relatively to the pipes 22.

teferring more particularly to Figures 7 and 8, the discharger basket consists as here tofore of a bottom plate ll attached to the lower end of the hollow shaft or axle l4 surrounding the centrifugal spindle l, and of a. vertical wall e12, to the outer surface of which are attached the discharger blades 19, in the same position relatively to the filtering basket 3 as described before. From the bottom 41 rise two vertical partitions 4-3 and. is, extending all the way across the bottom and having their extremities connected to the wall -l-2 a short distance from one another, as seen in Figure 8 whereby to present openll), the disposition being such that the latter discharge right behind the lowermost blades 19. The location of the partitions 3 and i l is such that the massecuite admitted through spout 21 must fall within the area circumscribed between said partitions; the height of these is sutlicient to retain the received massecuite and deflect it toward the openings 4:5 while the shape of the partitions is sucl that at any point the angle formed 'by the partition and the direction of the centrifugal force is such as not to prevent the massecuite from reaching the openings It is thus seen that the massecuite drops directly from the spout 21 on to the bot-tom il, is then thrown to the periphery by the centrifugal force, being directed by the partitions l3 and 44; toward the openings 41-5 through which it issues from the dischargcr J basket to be deposited against the wall of the filtering basket 3 i the empty space just formed by the lowermost blades 19.

The washwater gutter l6, similar to the gutter 28 already described is built directly against the inner surface of the wall 4-2, this latter forming thus the outer wall of the gutter. In this outer wall minute perforations 47 are formed all around the pe riphery or at suitable intervals. The water received from the feed pipe 48, is thus forced by the centrifugal power through the perforations 47 and sprayed upon the sugar as described above.

The wall 42 of the dischargcr basket is not necessarily a solid wall, but may be open work or of any system of uprights and braces as will give it adequate strength.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that I have provided a continuously operating centrifugal of comparatively simple con struction, in which the progress of the action may be nicely regulated and wherein the separation of sugar may be carried out economically.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

hat is claimed is: g i

1. A centrifugal comprising a rotary basket, driving means for the basket, a casing for collecting the liquid material surrounding the basket, means for collecting the solid material continuously from the interior of the basket, blades moving adjacent the inner wall of the basket and re-.

ceiving their movement from the basket driving means, and air-resistant means for varying the speed of said blades, substantially as described.

2. A centrifugal comprising a basket, means for driving the basket, lifting means within the filtering wall ofthe basket adapted to move the massecuite progressively along such filtering wall, means for collecting the separated materials, means whereby said lifting means are driven from the basket driving means, and an air-resistant device for slowing the motion of said lifting means, and means to regulate said airresistant device, substantially as described.

3. A centrifugal comprising a rotary basket, driving means therefor, blades mov ing adjacent the filtering wall of the basket, said blades being caused to rotate with the basket by the presence of the massecuite, wings moving with said blades and exposed to the air whereby to slow the movement of the blades relatively to the basket, and means for deflecting said wings to increase or diminish the air-resistance substantially as described.

4. A centrifugal comprising a rotary basket, blades moving inside the wall of the basket and inclined to liftthe massecuite upwardly along said wall, means for rotating the basket and said blades, pivoted wings moving with the blades, and adjustable cams engaging said blades acting to deflect the same to adjust the air-resistance.

5. A centrifugal comprising a casing divided into upper and lower portions with means for carrying off material separately from such upper and lower portions, a centrifugal bowl mounted for rotation within said casing having a perforated wall, means for positively rotating said bowl, a frame mounted within the bowl and for independent rotation, inclined blades carried by said frame adjacent the perforated wall and acting to lift the material in the bowl upwardly along the perforated wall, means for introducing the material to be separated at the base of the bowl and at the outer portion thereof beneath the blades whereby fluid material will be thrown outinto the lower portion of the casing, the material within the bowl adapted to be rotated therewith and to cause rotation of the frame by reaction upon said blades, means for braking the movement of the frame and blades to variable degrees during the rotation of the bowl and frame, and means rotating? with the frame and within the upper portion of the bowl for spraying fluid upon the material in the bowl which has reached a level with the upper portion of the casing, and means for catching the separated material from the top portion of the bowl.

AMEDEE CONSTANT SNYERS, 

